This intricately plotted novel presents various points of view. By manipulating the reader's sympathies, the author demonstrates how quickly and automatically we judge and blame others, then reveals how misguided those judgments can be. Why are the narrative perspectives so different and who is reliable? Is it human or forgivable to take out one's own grief on an unwitting child? Do the bereaved spouses unconsciously whitewash the character of their son?
The book raises troubling thematic questions as well. In an effort to protect our families from emotional trauma, is is appropriate to keep secrets from loved ones? What does it mean to trust someone? What past errors are forgiveable, and how can we choose who to believe? Are we responsible for our own suffering? A gripping read, this story offers no easy answers to these vexing questions.
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